Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
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12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2012
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Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
Organization and Basis of Presentation | Organization and Basis of Presentation Edison International is the parent holding company of Southern California Edison Company ("SCE"). SCE is an investor-owned public utility primarily engaged in the business of supplying electricity to an approximately 50,000 square mile area of southern California. Edison International is also the parent company of subsidiaries that are engaged in competitive businesses related to the delivery or use of electricity. Such competitive business activities are currently not material to report as a separate business segment. These combined notes to the consolidated financial statements apply to both Edison International and SCE unless otherwise described. Edison International's consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Edison International, SCE and other wholly owned and controlled subsidiaries. References to Edison International refer to the consolidated group of Edison International and its subsidiaries. References to Edison International Parent and Other refer to Edison International Parent and its nonutility subsidiaries, including EME. SCE's consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SCE and its wholly owned and controlled subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated from the consolidated financial statements. Edison International's accounting policies conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, including the accounting principles for rate-regulated enterprises, which reflect the ratemaking policies of the California Public Utility Commission ("CPUC") and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC"). SCE applies authoritative guidance for rate-regulated enterprises to the portion of its operations in which regulators set rates at levels intended to recover the estimated costs of providing service, plus a return on capital. Regulators may also impose certain penalties or grant certain incentives. Due to timing and other differences in the collection of electric utility revenue, these principles require an incurred cost that would otherwise be charged to expense by a nonregulated entity to be capitalized as a regulatory asset if it is probable that the cost is recoverable through future rates; and conversely the principles require recording of a regulatory liability for amounts collected in rates to recover costs expected to be incurred in the future or amounts collected in excess of costs incurred. SCE assesses, at the end of each reporting period, whether regulatory assets are probable of future recovery. See Note 14 for composition of regulatory assets and liabilities. Edison International consolidates subsidiaries in which it has a controlling interest and variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which it is the primary beneficiary. As discussed below, effective December 17, 2012, Edison International has reflected its ownership interest in EME utilizing the cost method of accounting. Edison International generally uses the equity method to account for other significant interests in (1) partnerships and subsidiaries in which it owns a significant but less than controlling interest and (2) VIEs in which it is not the primary beneficiary. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Except as indicated, amounts in the notes to the consolidated financial statements relate to continuing operations of Edison International. |
Consolidation | Edison International consolidates subsidiaries in which it has a controlling interest and variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which it is the primary beneficiary. As discussed below, effective December 17, 2012, Edison International has reflected its ownership interest in EME utilizing the cost method of accounting. Edison International generally uses the equity method to account for other significant interests in (1) partnerships and subsidiaries in which it owns a significant but less than controlling interest and (2) VIEs in which it is not the primary beneficiary. |
Use of Estimates | The preparation of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. |
Cash Equivalents | Cash is temporarily invested until required for check clearing from the primary disbursement accounts. Checks issued, but not yet paid by the financial institution, are reclassified from cash to accounts payable at the end of each reporting period Cash Equivalents Cash equivalents included investments in money market funds. Generally, the carrying value of cash equivalents equals the fair value, as these investments have original maturities of 3 months or less. |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Deposits | Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Deposits Edison International restricted cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2012 and 2011 was $4 million and $3 million, respectively, primarily related to outstanding letters of credit. |
Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts | Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts Allowances for uncollectible accounts are provided based upon a variety of factors, including historical amounts written-off, current economic conditions and assessment of customer collectability. |
Inventory | Inventory Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market, cost being determined by the weighted-average cost method for fuel, and the average cost method for materials and supplies. |
Renewable Energy Credits | Renewable Energy Credits Renewable energy certificates or credits ("RECs") represent rights established by governmental agencies for the environmental, social, and other nonpower qualities of renewable electricity generation. A REC, and its associated attributes and benefits, can be sold separately from the underlying physical electricity associated with a renewable-based generation source in certain markets. Retail sellers of electricity obtain RECs through renewable power purchase agreements, internal generation or separate purchases in the market to comply with renewables portfolio standards established in certain such governmental agencies. RECs are the mechanism used to verify renewables portfolio standards compliance and are recognized at the lower of weighted-average cost or market when amounts purchased are in excess of the amounts needed to comply with RPS requirements. The cost of purchased RECs is recoverable as part of the cost of purchased power. |
Property, Plant and Equipment | Property, Plant and Equipment Plant additions, including replacements and betterments, are capitalized. SCE capitalizes as part of plant additions direct material and labor and indirect costs such as construction overhead, administrative and general costs, pension and benefits, and property taxes. The CPUC authorizes a rate for each of the indirect costs which are allocated to each project based on either labor or total costs. In addition, allowance for funds used during construction ("AFUDC") is capitalized by SCE for certain projects. |
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets | Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Impairments of long-lived assets are evaluated based on a review of estimated future cash flows expected to be generated whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such investments or assets may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of a long-lived asset exceeds expected future cash flows, undiscounted and without interest charges, an impairment loss is recognized in the amount of the excess of fair value over the carrying amount. Fair value is determined via market, cost and income based valuation techniques, as appropriate. SCE's impaired assets are recorded as a regulatory asset if it is deemed probable that such amounts will be recovered from customers. |
Leases | Leases SCE enters into power purchase agreements that may contain leases, as discussed under "Power Purchase Agreements" below. SCE has entered into a number of agreements to lease property and equipment in the normal course of business. Minimum lease payments under operating leases for property, plant and equipment are levelized (total minimum lease payments divided by the number of years of the lease) and recorded as rent expense over the terms of the leases. Lease payments in excess of the minimum are recorded as rent expense in the year incurred. Capital leases are reported as long-term obligations on the consolidated balance sheets in "Other deferred credits and other long-term liabilities." As a rate-regulated enterprise, SCE's capital lease amortization expense and interest expense are reflected in "Purchased power" on the consolidated statements of income. |
Nuclear Decommissioning | Nuclear Decommissioning SCE plans to decommission its nuclear generating facilities by a prompt removal method authorized by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”). Decommissioning is expected to begin after expiration of the plants' operating licenses. The plants' operating licenses are currently set to expire in 2022 for San Onofre Units 2 and 3 and 2045, 2046 and 2047 for Palo Verde units 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Decommissioning costs, which are recovered through non-bypassable customer rates over the term of each nuclear facility's operating license, are recorded as a component of depreciation expense, with a corresponding credit to the ARO regulatory liability. Amortization of the ARO asset (included within the unamortized nuclear investment) and accretion of the ARO liability are deferred as increases to the ARO regulatory liability account, resulting in no impact on earnings. SCE has collected in rates amounts for the future costs of removal of its nuclear assets, and has placed those amounts in independent trusts. The cost of removal amounts, in excess of fair value collected for assets not legally required to be removed, are classified as regulatory liabilities. Due to regulatory recovery of SCE's nuclear decommissioning expense, nuclear decommissioning activities do not affect SCE's earnings. SCE's nuclear decommissioning trust investments primarily consist of debt and equity investments that are classified as available-for-sale. Due to regulatory mechanisms, earnings and realized gains and losses (including other-than-temporary impairments) have no impact on electric utility revenue. Unrealized gains and losses on decommissioning trust funds increase or decrease the trust assets and the related regulatory asset or liability and have no impact on electric utility revenue or decommissioning expense. SCE reviews each security for other-than-temporary impairment on the last day of each month. If the fair value on the last day of two consecutive months is less than the cost for that security, SCE recognizes a loss for the other-than-temporary impairment. If the fair value is greater or less than the cost for that security at the time of sale, SCE recognizes a related realized gain or loss, respectively. |
Deferred Financing Costs | Deferred Financing Costs Debt premium, discount and issuance expenses incurred in connection with obtaining financing are deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis. Under CPUC ratemaking procedures, SCE's debt reacquisition expenses are amortized over the remaining life of the reacquired debt or, if refinanced, the life of the new debt. SCE had unamortized losses on reacquired debt of $228 million and $249 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, reflected in "Regulatory assets" in the long-term section of the consolidated balance sheets. Edison International and SCE had unamortized debt issuance costs of $73 million and $67 million at December 31, 2012, respectively, and $63 million and $60 million at December 31, 2011, respectively, reflected in "Other long-term assets" on the consolidated balance sheets. |
Revenue Recognition | Revenue Recognition Revenue is recognized when electricity is delivered and includes amounts for services rendered but unbilled at the end of each reporting period and reflected in "Electric utility revenue" on the consolidated income statements. Rates charged to customers are based on CPUC and FERC-authorized revenue requirements. CPUC rates are implemented subsequent to final approval. In November 2012, the CPUC issued a final decision in SCE's 2012 GRC, authorizing a base rate revenue requirement of approximately $5.7 billion which results in an increase of approximately $470 million over 2011 authorized revenue, excluding revenues related to refueling outages. Beginning in 2012, SCE implemented, subject to refund, a formula rate for its FERC jurisdiction base transmission revenue requirement. Under operation of the formula rate, transmission revenues will be trued-up to actual cost of service annually. At December 31, 2012, revenue collected in excess of recognized revenues under the proposed formula rate was $106 million. CPUC and FERC rates decouple authorized revenue from the volume of electricity sales. Differences between amounts collected and authorized levels are either collected from or refunded to customers, and therefore, SCE earns revenue equal to amounts authorized. SCE remits to the California Department of Water Resources ("CDWR"), and does not recognize as revenue the amounts that SCE bills and collects from its customers for electric power purchased and sold by the CDWR to SCE's customers, as well as CDWR-bond-related costs and a portion of direct access exit fees. Power purchased by the CDWR for these long-term contracts are not considered a cost to SCE because SCE is acting as a limited agent to CDWR for these transactions. The amounts collected and remitted to CDWR were $44 million, $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. All power contracts that CDWR allocated to SCE had expired by the end of 2011. The bond-related charges and direct access exit fees continue until 2022. |
Power Purchase Agreements | Power Purchase Agreements SCE, generally as the purchaser, enters into power purchase agreements in the normal course of business. A power purchase agreement may be considered a variable interest in a variable interest entity. Under this classification, the power purchase agreement is evaluated to determine if SCE is the primary beneficiary in the variable interest entity, in which case, such entity would be consolidated. None of SCE's power purchase agreements resulted in consolidation of a variable interest entity at December 31, 2012 and 2011. See Note 3 for further discussion of power purchase agreements that are considered variable interests. A power purchase agreement may also contain a lease for accounting purposes. This generally occurs when a power purchase agreement (signed or modified after June 30, 2003) designates a specific power plant in which the buyer purchases substantially all of the output and does not otherwise meet a fixed price per unit of output exception. SCE has a number of power purchase agreements that contain leases. SCE's recognition of lease expense conforms to the ratemaking treatment for SCE's recovery of the cost of electricity and is recorded in purchased power. These agreements are classified as operating leases as electricity is delivered at rates defined in power sales agreements. See Note 9 for further discussion of SCE's power purchase agreements, including agreements that are classified as capital leases for accounting purposes. A power purchase agreement that does not contain a lease may be classified as a derivative subject to a normal purchase and sale exception, in which case the power purchase agreement is classified as an executory contract and accounted for on an accrual basis. Most of SCE's QF contracts are not required to be recorded on the consolidated balance sheets because they either do not meet the definition of a derivative or meet the normal purchase and sale exception. However, SCE purchases power from certain QFs in which the contract pricing is based on a natural gas index, but the power is not generated with natural gas. These contracts are not eligible for the normal purchase and sale exception and are recorded as a derivative on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. See Note 6 for further information on derivatives and hedging activities. Power purchase agreements that do not meet the above classifications are accounted for on an accrual basis. |
Derivatives Instruments and Hedging Activities | Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities SCE records derivative instruments on its consolidated balance sheets as either assets or liabilities measured at fair value unless otherwise exempted from derivative treatment as normal purchases or sales. The normal purchases and sales exception requires, among other things, physical delivery in quantities expected to be used or sold over a reasonable period in the normal course of business. Realized gains and losses from SCE's derivative instruments are expected to be recovered from or refunded to customers through regulatory mechanisms and, therefore, SCE's fair value changes have no impact on purchased-power expenses or earnings. SCE does not use hedge accounting for derivative transactions due to regulatory accounting treatment. Where SCE's derivative instruments are subject to a master netting agreement and certain criteria are met, SCE presents its derivative assets and liabilities on a net basis on its consolidated balance sheets. In addition, derivative positions are offset against margin and cash collateral deposits. The results of derivative activities are recorded as part of cash flows from operating activities on the consolidated statements of cash flows. See Note 6 for further information on derivative and hedging activities. |
Sales and Use Taxes | Sales and Use Taxes SCE bills certain sales and use taxes levied by state or local governments to its customers. Included in these sales and use taxes are franchise fees, which SCE pays to various municipalities (based on contracts with these municipalities) in order to operate within the limits of the municipality. SCE bills these franchise fees to its customers based on a CPUC-authorized rate. These franchise fees, which are required to be paid regardless of SCE's ability to collect from the customer, are accounted for on a gross basis and reflected in electric utility revenue and other operation and maintenance expense. SCE's franchise fees billed to customers and recorded as electric utility revenue were $98 million, $101 million and $102 million in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. When SCE acts as an agent and when the tax is not required to be remitted as not having been collected from the customer, the taxes are accounted for on a net basis. Amounts billed to and collected from customers for these taxes are remitted to the taxing authorities and are not recognized as electric utility revenue. |
Share-Based Compensation | Stock-Based Compensation Stock options, performance shares, deferred stock units and restricted stock units have been granted under Edison International long-term incentive compensation programs. Generally, Edison International does not issue new common stock for settlement of equity awards. Rather, a third party is used to purchase shares from the market and delivery for settlement of option exercises, performance shares and restricted stock units. Performance shares earned are settled half in cash and half in common stock; however, Edison International has discretion under certain of the awards to pay the half subject to cash settlement in common stock. Deferred stock units granted to management are settled in cash and represent a liability. Restricted stock units are settled in common stock; however, Edison International will substitute cash awards to the extent necessary to pay tax withholding or any government levies. Stock-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. For awards granted to retirement-eligible participants stock compensation expenses is recognized on a prorated basis over the initial year or over the period between the date of grant and the date the participant first becomes eligible for retirement. |
Dividend Restrictions | Dividend Restrictions The CPUC regulates SCE's capital structure which limits the dividends it may pay Edison International. SCE may make distributions to Edison International as long as the common equity component of SCE's capital structure remains at or above the 48% on a 13-month weighted average basis. At December 31, 2012, SCE's 13-month weighted-average common equity component of total capitalization was 48.6% resulting in a restriction on SCE's net assets of $11.6 billion. At December 31, 2012, the maximum additional dividend that SCE could pay to Edison International under this limitation was approximately $125 million. |
Earnings Per Share | Earnings Per Share Edison International computes earnings per share ("EPS") using the two-class method, which is an earnings allocation formula that determines EPS for each class of common stock and participating security. Edison International's participating securities are stock-based compensation awards payable in common shares, including stock options, performance shares and restricted stock units, which earn dividend equivalents on an equal basis with common shares. Stock options awarded during the period 2003 through 2006 received dividend equivalents. |
Income Taxes | Income Taxes Edison International and SCE estimate their income taxes for each jurisdiction in which they operate. This involves estimating current period tax expense along with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of items (such as depreciation) for tax and accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included in the consolidated balance sheets. Income tax expense includes the current tax liability from operations and the change in deferred income taxes during the year. Investment tax credits are deferred and amortized to income tax expense over the lives of the properties or the term of the power purchase agreement of the respective project while production tax credits are recognized in income tax expense in the period in which they are earned. Interest income, interest expense and penalties associated with income taxes are reflected in "Income tax expense" on the consolidated statements of income. Edison International's eligible subsidiaries are included in Edison International's consolidated federal income tax and combined state tax returns. Edison International has tax-allocation and payment agreements with certain of its subsidiaries. For subsidiaries other than SCE, the right of a participating subsidiary to receive or make a payment and the amount and timing of tax-allocation payments are dependent on the inclusion of the subsidiary in the consolidated income tax returns of Edison International and other factors including the consolidated taxable income of Edison International and its includible subsidiaries, the amount of taxable income or net operating losses and other tax items of the participating subsidiary, as well as the other subsidiaries of Edison International. There are specific procedures regarding allocations of state taxes. Each subsidiary is eligible to receive tax-allocation payments for its tax losses or credits only at such time as Edison International and its subsidiaries generate sufficient taxable income to be able to utilize the participating subsidiary's losses in the consolidated income tax return of Edison International. Pursuant to an income tax-allocation agreement approved by the CPUC, SCE's tax liability is computed as if it filed its federal and state income tax returns on a separate return basis. EME continues to be consolidated with Edison International for federal income tax purposes and certain state jurisdictions until such time that Edison International's ownership is less than 80% or other events occur that require deconsolidation for tax purposes. Under the tax-allocation agreements applicable to EME, tax allocation payments or receipts continue to be determined under these agreements through 2013; provided however, such period shall be extended to 2014 in the event that the Plan Support Agreement is approved by the bankruptcy court within 150 days of the filing. See Note 17 for further information. |
New Accounting Guidance | New Accounting Guidance Accounting Guidance Adopted in 2012 Fair Value Measurement In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update modifying the fair value measurement and disclosure guidance. This guidance prohibits grouping of financial instruments for purposes of fair value measurement and requires the value be based on the individual security. This amendment also results in new disclosures primarily related to Level 3 measurements including quantitative disclosure about unobservable inputs and assumptions, a description of the valuation processes and a narrative description of the sensitivity of the fair value to changes in unobservable inputs. Edison International and SCE adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2012. For further information, see Note 4. Presentation of Comprehensive Income In June 2011 and December 2011, the FASB issued accounting standards updates on the presentation of comprehensive income. An entity can elect to present items of net income and other comprehensive income in one continuous statement, referred to as the statement of comprehensive income, or in two separate but consecutive statements. Edison International and SCE adopted this guidance January 1, 2012, and elected to present two separate but consecutive statements. The adoption of these accounting standards updates did not change the items that constitute net income and other comprehensive income. |